The Sazerac Swingers – Stylin’ And Profilin’ (2021)

The golden 20s, The Roaring Twenties, The Jazz Age – it seems like these references to a possible return or renaissance of this fascinating era in cultural and social history are omnipresent in today’s 2020s. The reason is evident: Starting out from New Orleans, and proceeding via Chicago and Harlem, Jazz began its conquest of the dance halls of the world more or less exactly one hundred years ago.

Now when “The Sazerac Swingers,” once labeled “refreshingly anarchic and cheeky” by Germany’s leading jazz magazine Jazzthetik, used to play their recurring shows for the young party Bohème of Berlin, Hamburg, or Paris in pre-lockdown times, the subconscious impression was unmistakably confirmed: Jazz has returned. Yes, jazz is back, and it has arrived in a resurrected kind of golden era, which also feels like a new borrowed time. It’s the expression of a lifestyle guided by the dichotomy of sheer boundless hope and apocalyptic sentiment.

In 2018, “The Sazerac Swingers” entered the European scene with a bold mission to bring jazz back. Their album “Put the Jazz back in Jazz!” was deeply rooted in New Orleans sounds, and called for the attention of international jazz experts. Good Times magazine, accordingly, claimed that “The Sazerac Swingers rank among the biggest attractions on the German Jazz scene.” Aforementioned record was on heavy rotation both on the Lufthansa on-board radio program, and presented on American NPR at the same time. Having once been the first German band to ever perform at the legendary “Le Caveau de la Huchette” in Paris, “The Sazerac Swingers” soon became somewhat of a house band of the venue, making around 10 appearances per year. They were awarded headlining slots at highly renowned international jazz festivals such as Düsseldorf Jazz Rally, Jazzfest Gronau, or Hot Jazz Spring (Poland), to be followed by the next knighting: In 2019, The Bavarian Jazz Institute named “The Sazerac Swingers” a “landmark group for the current development of jazz music”, and granted them the headlining show slot at the “Bavarian Jazz Weekend” in Regensburg - Germany’s largest jazz festival.

With their newest album Stylin’ And Profilin’ (IRMI, 2021), “The Sazerac Swingers” continue their path and attempt to translate the original spirit of the 19020s into the jazz language our time. “No retro, no vintage, no revival,” writes the Rhein-Main-Magazin, finding that the band has “an impressive energy and stage presence.”

Stylin’ And Profilin’ is the name of the new 90-minute epos (a title informed by the trash talk of American pro wrestling legend Ric Flair). On this new album, the official house band of the “Berlin Burlesque Festival” appears glamourous, swinging, ruthless, and direct – all across the entire scope ranging from escalating party excesses to bittersweet and deep ballads. Band leader, multi-instrumentalist, and composer Max Oestersötebier, who has been musically socialized in New Orleans to great extent, embarks on a quest with Captain-Ahab’esque determination to find the swinging Latin roots of New Orleans music. At the same time, he is not giving any excursions to Berlin nightlife, nor the romantic and morbid charm of the Sardinian port town of Cagliari a miss. Georg Kirschner, drummer, percussionist, and co-bandleader, constructs the highly complex, sophisticated rhythmic foundation that enables such a par force ride across the album’s compositions’ diverse influences. This is the point where you really notice the level of artistic coordination among the band, whose core line-up also comprises double bassists Lea Randella and Roger Clarke-Johnson, as well as horn virtuosos Lars Bechstein (trombone) and Jonas Rabener (tenor and soprano saxophone). In addition, the rhythm section on Stylin’ And Profilin’ features pianists Dennis Koeckstadt from Germany, Bart Maassen from Holland, and Ralph Gipson from New Orleans. Moreover, you will hear stunning guest feature performances by Canadian singer Emily Rault, “Latin King of New Orleans” Fredy Omar, as well as trumpeters Christian Altehülshorst and Terrence Ngassa.

Ranging from topics such as Burlesque to motor sports, from romance to wrestling, love, humor, dance, desperation, and the undaunted will to party like there is no tomorrow – all facets of life that will emotionalize people in the spirit of the 2020s are represented on this masterpiece album.